Solar energy use should be promoted in agriculture sector:Ch Parvez Elahi

Lahore:A meeting of the Board of Directors of the Engineering Development Board (EDB) held here under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim senior central leader Ch Parvez Elahi has approved the Board’s budget for new financial year. Addressing the meeting, Ch Parvez Elahi said that for overcoming the energy crisis in Pakistan, our engineers should do immediate and effective planning for energy generation. He said US, China, Egypt and Germany are fully benefitting from solar energy, Pakistan’s weather is best suited for this as such we should pay maximum attention to generate solar energy. He said developed countries are promoting use of solar energy in view of the growing requirement for oil in the world. He said Pakistan is an agricultural country but farmers are facing problems due to inadequate supply of electricity as such use of solar energy for operating maximum number of tube wells would reduce burden on WAPDA. Ch Parvez Elahi said that in the first phase we are planning to install 2 to 4 megawatts units on experimental basis from which the agriculture sector would benefit. He said countries like China, Germany and India are providing facilities to the farmers through solar energy. Chief Executive SPEL Almas Haider in his briefing said that we have started planning in cooperation with China for establishing new surgical plant and have also selected the site along Makran coast for producing power through wind. He said presently China is producing 80 per cent power through coal. He said Pakistan also has rich coal reserves but this is wet coal adding that China has offered to produce power through use of the wet coal even. He said presently India is producing 40 per cent of energy through coal whereas Pakistan is producing only one per cent power through coal. He said in order to save the agriculture sector from energy crisis, our Engineering Department wants to introduce solar energy at small level. He said solar energy operated tube well could irrigate land up to 10 acres and it would cost only Rs 1.5 million. The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary Industries Agha Nadeem, G.M. Sikandar, Chairman Indus Motors Suhail Ahmad, President Honda Atlas Company Amir Haider Sheerazi, General Manager Companies Khalid Latif and Chief Executive Private Companies Ejaz Niazi among others.